Four-way reverse cycle valve



l. E. WIEGERS FOUR-WAY REVERSE CYCLE VALVE May '2, 1961 Filed Aug. 26, 1957 `Fl lR-`WAY REVERSE CYCLE VALVE Irvin E. Wiegers, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to VAlco Valve Company, St. Louis, Mo.,-a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 680,282

12 Claims. (Cl. 137-5991) The `present invention relates generally to valves for controlling fluid flow, and more particularly to a novel four-way valve for reverse cycle operation in a closed fluid flow system.

Briefly, the invention contemplates a novel four-wayl Y as to communicate the main outlet port with the one, and

the main inlet port with the other, of the combination ports.

The present valve is `primarily intended for applications where a substantial pressure differential will exist between the main inlet and the main outlet, this pressure differential to be utilized, not only to maintain'the valve in a selected condition of flow control, but also to effect changesv from one control condition to the other.

The four-way valve of the present invention comprises an arrangement including two separate two-way valves, one of these two-way valves being adapted for direct actuation and the other being adapted for indirect or slave actuation following the direct actuation of the one valve. The direct actuation ispreferably effected by means of a piston arrangement in conjunction with a diverting valve which selectively communicates ther piston cylinder with either the relatively high pressure maintained at the main inlet port or-with the relatively `low pressure maintained at the main outlet port. A dual check-valve assembly cooperates with the directly actuated two-way valve to provide increased dependability of operation.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the primary object ofthe present invention is to provide a novel fourway valve which is adapted to direct a pressure flow in a Iselected one of two directions and to receive a return flow from the other. t

It is another object of the invention to provide a'novel four-way valve which utilizes pressure differences existing therewithin for selectively maintaining a pressure seal between different fluid passage portions of the valve.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel four-way valve which incorporates a high pressure and a low pressure chamber and which incorporates means for communicating either of these chambers selectively with a pressure responsive element for reversing a fluid llow condition.

It isano-ther object of the invention to provide a novel four-way valve which comprises both a directly and an indirectlyactuated two-way valve and which incorporates atedIwo-wayvalve. The Vvforegoingfalong'uwith additional .objects and kadadual check valvefor cooperation with the directly actu- Vtr/',antages, -will be apparent from thefollowing description cfa specific embodiment of the device ,as depicted -infthe accompanying drawing,` in which:

'Figure'l is a schematic representation of a closed fluid ,Patented May 2, 1 961 Varice duced scale, illustrating a modified form of the invenk tion.

Directing more particular attention to the details of the drawing through use of the reference characters applied thereto, the numeral 10 designates generally a reverse cycle valve constructed in conformance with the present invention. The valve 10 includes a main body 12, preferably of cast or forged metal, formed so as to define two parallel barrels 14 and 16. Considering first the barrel 14, it will ybe noted from Figure 3 that a main outlet port 18 fitted with an outlet conduit 20 communicates with an outlet chamber 22 formed centrally of the length of the bore 14.' As is clear from this figure, the chamber 22 defines a minimum diameter of the bore 14 whereby shoulders 24 are provided for seating abutment with valve sleeves 26 and 28 inserted from vopposite ends of the bore 14 and vpressed into place Yas illustrated. The sleevesk 26 and 28 preferably take the shape clearly indicated in Figure 3, and each is provided with an annular seat 30 of resilient material retained by bent over flanges 32 forming integral portions of the sleeves 26 and 28.

A valve assembly 34 is disposed for reciprocation in the bore 14. The assembly 34 includes a valve head 36 having a tapered portion 38 formed for seating engagement with the seat 30 disposed in the valve sleeve 26. The valve head 36 is extended upwardly a predetermined distance and is surmounted by a piston head 40 provided with conventional sealing grooves 42.

A valve stem 43, integral with the valve head 36, extends downwardly therefrom through the outlet chamber 22 wherein it slidably mounts check valves 44 and 45 biased by means of a relatively light compression spring 46 toward respective closing engagementwith the valve sleeves 26 and 28. Below the sleeve 28, the valve stem 43 is fitted with a valve head 47 having a tapered portion 48 for seating engagement with the seat 30 disposed in the valve sleeve v28. The head 47 is fitted onto a rebeing then staked in place as indicated at 54. A still ,further reduced portion 56 of the valve stem 43 extends downwardly through a guide 58 retained in a counterbored portion 60 of the bore 14 by means of a closure plate 62 welded into place as shown.

It may be mentioned at this point that the opposite end of the bore 14, as well as both ends of the bore 16, are similarly counterbored and provided with identical closing discs 62.

Directing attention now to the bore 16, it will be observed from Figure 3 that this bore also has a central portion of minimum diameter, which portion defines a main inlet chamber 64 provided with a main inlet port 66 in communication with an inlet conduit 68. l

A pair of identical valve sleeve assemblies 70 are inserted from opposite ends of the bore 16 and are pressed into place against shoulders 72 formed at the upper and lower ends of the inlet chamber 22. These assemblies 70 include sleeve-like cages 74 formed at one vend to receive annular valve seats 76, these seats 76 being retained by inturne'd flanges 78, similar to the flanges 32 on the valve `sleeves 26 and 28 aforementioned. At their ends opposite the llanges `78, the members `74 areprovided with inwardly extending flanges 80 for retaining compression springs 82 in the manner clearly illustrated inFgure 3.

A ball valve 84 adapted for seating engagement with either of the seats 76 disposed in the sleeve assemblies 70 is interposed between the two compression spring 82. It will be understood that each of the springs 82 is under continuous compression and that they are so balanced as, in the absence of other vforces, to position the ball valve 84 approximately midway betweenthe seats 76. Preferably, the member 74 of the valve sleeve assemblies K 7,0 are staked into place as indicated at 86.

The portion of the barrel 16 below the sleeve ass-ernblies 70 is communicated through a combination inlet- V'outlet port 88 with a `conduit 90, and also through a cross port 92, formed in a common wall 94 between the barrels 14 and 16, with that portion of the barrel 14 below the valve sleeve 28. Similarly, the portion of the valve 16 above the valve sleeve assemblies 70 is communicated through a combination inlet-outlet port 96 with a conduit 98, and also through a cross port 100, formed `in the common wall 94, with that portion of the barrel 14 which is above the valve sleeve 26. nection with the location of the cross port 100, it will be `noted from Figure 3 of the drawing that this port com- 'municates with that portion of the barrel 14 which is ln further conbelow the piston 40, the head portion 36 being sufficiently 'elongated to dispose the piston 40 above the cross port 100 even when the tapered portion 38 is seated against the seat 30 disposed in the valve sleeve 26.

The body 12 of the valve 10 includes a boss portion 102 located at the level of the chambers 22 and 64 and extending transversely in respect to the length of the body 12 as clearly illustrated in'Figure 2 of the drawing. The boss 102 is provided with a main passage 104 which communicates at its inner end with the main inlet chamber 64. At its outer end, the passage 104 is counterbored so as to provide successive enlarged portions 106, 108, 110, 11-2 and 114. An offset passage 116 communicates the outlet chamber-22 with the portion 112 of the main longitudinal port 104. Y

A valve seat 118 is pressed into the portion 106 of Ythe passage 104 and a valve seat 120 is pressed into the portion 110, thereby defining a chamber in the open portion 108. A ball valve 122 is disposed in the open charnber portion 108 so as to be movable between the seats 1,18 and 120. Preferably, the size of the ball valve 122 is such that it will remain substantially on the center line of the longitudinal passage 104 and thus may be selectively seated against either of the seats 118 and 120.

A passage 124 communicates the chamber portion 108 of the passage 104 with that portion of the barrel 14 'which is above the piston 40, and it will be understood that this passage 124 may be defined either wholly within a wall of the body 12 or by an external conduit. In other words, this intercommunication between different portions of a valve body is conventional, and is depicted schematically in the drawings by means of the broken line 26 extending between Figures 2 and 3.

The depicted embodiment of the four-way valve includes an actuating solenoid assembly 128. The assembly 128 comprises a conventional solenoid coil 130 enclosed in the usual case 132, but disposed over a special core assembly 134. The assembly 134 includes a tubular vmember 136 fitted into the recessed portion 114 of the passage 104 and secured therein as by welding 138. At its opposite end, the tubular member 136 is provided with a plug 140 which is pressed into place and which has an Vextended threaded portion 142 fitted with a nut 144 for retaining the solenoid assembly 128 thereon. An armature 146, provided at one end with a spring well 148 in which is disposed a compression spring 150 and provided at the opposite end with a pin 152 extending co-axially therebeyond, is disposed for reciprocation in an armature I chamber defined by that portion within the tubular memlber 136 below the plug 140 and including also the porrtion 112 of the passage 104. By this arrangement, the pin 152 is able to force the ball valve 122 against the seat p exchanger 158.

'A Figure 1 of the drawings wherein the valve 10 is shown having the conduits 68 and 20 connected into the pressure and suction sides, respectively, of a compressor 154, and having the conduits and 98 connected into opposite sides of a closed external tiuid flow circuit comprising heat exchangers 156 and 158 and an expansion valve 160.

If it be now assumed that the solenoid coil is energized so as to draw the armature 146 and its pin 152 upwardly away from the ball valve 122, the relativev 1y high pressure which exists in the inlet chamber 64 by virtue of its connection with the pressure side of the compressor 154 will be established also in the extreme upper end of the barrel 14 above the piston 40. If it be further assumed that the valve assembly 34 and the ball valve 84 are in the positions illustrated, pressure flow entering the inlet chamber 64 through the main inlet port 66 will pass upwardly through the upper sleevelike spring cage assembly 70 and outwardly through the port 96 and through the conduit 98 toward the heat Passing through the device 158, the valve 160, and the heat exchanger 156, the fluid will y return to the valve 10 through the conduit 90 to enter the lower end of the barrel 16. From this point the fluid will ow through the cross passage 92 into the lower end Vof the barrel 14 thence upwardly through the valve sleeve 28 and past the check valve 45 into the outlet chamber 22, and on outwardly through the main outlet port 18 and the conduit 20 to return to the suction side of the compressor 154. It will be understood that the lightly loaded check valve 45 gives way readily to accommodate such iiow.

Under the conditions above described and as clearly illustrated in the drawing, it will be noted that high pressure is maintained not only above the piston 40, which is integral with the valve head 36, but also above the ball valve 84. Moreover, the dual check valves 44 and 45, lightly loaded as they are, are ineffective to withstand substantial pressure differentials between the outlet chamber 22 and the spaces interiorly of the sleeves 26 and 28. As a result, a reduced pressure is extended both to the underneath side of thevalve head 36 and to the underneath side of the ball valve 84. Hence, it is clear that the pressure differential which exists between the main inlet chamber 64 and the main outlet chamber 22 is influential in maintaining the valve elements 36 and 84 in a desired seated condition, as illustrated.

If it lbe now assumed that the solenoid coil 130 is deenergized, the spring will act to drive the armature 146 and its pin 152 downwardly so as to force the ball valve 122 against the seat 118. Displacement of the ball 122 from the seat 120 serves to communicate the pressure chamber in the extreme upper end of the barrel 14 with the main outlet chamber 22. The resulting reduction in pressure exerted against the upper end of the piston 40 enables the high pressure, which is still maintained on the annular underface of the piston 40, to displace the Whole assembly 34 upwardly so as to open the valve 38 in addition to the valve 48. This causes the upper end of the barrel 16 to be suddenly communicated through the cross passage 100 to the valve sleeve 26, with only i the check valve 44 obstructing direct communication with the low pressure outlet chamber 22. Under these conditions, the pressure suddenly exerted on top of the check r :valve ;44 `suiflicientto-novefitdownwardly froin engagiement lwith `the :valve sleeve"2"6 thereby establiShing l"flow through the latter to the" outlet `chamber 22and, vat'the same time, providing additional biasing' force "through the spring 46 to' close the check valve 45a'g'ainst the upper vend ofjthe .valve sleeve 28. The `inherent :tendencyof mutually loaded, jfree floating ,valve members; 'such MAas the `combination of elements 44, 45 and ,46, ,to favorflow through one port or the ether serves to maintain theelen .l

ments in the new Ipositions tqwhichthey ,aprethus moved. Y The Qpencondition of botghthevalves '38 and` 48..tends also to cause" pressure equalization above andbelow the ball valve 84 so 'that the normal balancing ,action ofthe ysprings82'will cause theballf84 to seek a centered .posi-.

tion between theseats 76. .Withboth the valve assembly 34 andthe ball valve :84 .in mid-position, ,the 'flow of fluid is necessarily short-circuited ,from the inlet chamber 64 tothe outlet chamber '22. vHowever, with .the check valve 44.'being.in o penposition, as above described,' `the short-circuit .will 'be ,byway of fthe upper. spring .cage 74, 'the crosspassage .1100, and thevalve sleeve 26 .to .the chamber 22. The presence of the .check valve 44, of course, .eects apressure differential between .the pressure which exists in the chamber 22` and that which exists in "the sleeve 26 and immediately Ybelow the piston 40. 'Inasmuch as it is the pressure of `the chamber l 22.whic'h is communicated to thIspace above the piston 40, it is Vclear that a net force is available ft o move the valve assembly "34 to fits uppermost position wherein the valve 48 will be .seated Vagainstthe,seatf30. AS the pressure at the 4lower end of. the barrel ,'16 'builds up, due to the valve head 47 fbeing seated,' and as the pressureat ,the upper end .of the 'barrel `1`6 is loweredfdue to the valve head ,3`6'bei'ngiunseated, the generally upward ow of fluid past the'ball valve 84 and the attendant Apressure `drop around the ball and the upper seat 76 willcause the formertto ,beseated 'in its uppermost position. It will be noted once more, that with the valve head 47 and the ball valve 84 seated upwardly, .the ,distribution .of pressures within the barrels V14 and 16 is again such as .to maintain a desired closed condition. In this new condition the valve provides pressure .flow directly through the .conduit 90 to theheat .exchanger -156 and receives. thereturn flow from theheat 1 `exchanger 158 through-theconduit 98.

When once again it is desired to revert the valveIO-to the villustrated condition. the solenoid coil 130 is again energizedso as ,to cut off communication of the cxtreme upper end of the barrel r1'4 with the outlet chamber 22 .and vre-.establish communication of this :piston chamber with the hinlet chamber 64. The resulting Vhighpressnre established above the piston portion 40 will then cause ztheassembly 34 .tosbe smoveddownwardly, tirst'to a midposition which will be effective, `,once again, to shift the dual-.check valves -44 land 45 'so asto favor flow upwardly past the valve 45. This movement will then be followed by a sequence of movement which will be just the reverse of that above-described, resulting finally inthe establishment of the illustrated condition of the .valve 10.

.It will be noted thatthere is no mechanical connection :between Ythe valve assembly 34 Yand the movable ball g valve i84. It--will also be noted that,` whereas initial move- `xnentmf .the valve asesmbly 34 isrdirectly instigated by `:the establishment of positive pressure-differentials above -by wway offi'llustration'ad example. funderstoodthatchanges in "the elements, rearrangement '20 -rates a lshuttle -valve Yassembly -1f64'*in place Iof the jpyiously described parts 44, 45, 46.

Theassembly 164 comprises dual -valveflanges`166 Aand 168 formed on tubular thimble portion 170 slidable on the valve -stemv43. The flanges -166'and 168 areso spaced that 'abutment of one-of them with the respective sleeve 26 or 28 will leave ,the other sleeve open topassage vof fluid. y

vThe functioning of-the valve f 162 issimilar in principle 'to that lofthe valve 10, but `lacks the automatic control of pressure drop provided by employment of the'spring ClearlyLthere has beenk described a reversecycle valve Vand amodificationthereofrwhich ftogether fulfill the-ob- `jectsandaiflvantagessought therefor. Y

-iIt is'to 'ibiunder'stood "that the foregoing Adescription and the laccoimaanying drawing have been jgiven `only it is furtherto be 'of 'par-ts, `and thesubstitution of equivalent elements, a'll M offwl'iich will "be obvious fto'those skilledvin the art, are

tion,'a main valve' ,body having a high pressure chamber considered -to'bewithinthe `scope ofthe present invention, which. -is 'limited 4onl-yiby fthe claims which follow.

I 1. A `four'way reverse cycle comprising, in combinafprovided-with Yan inlet port, a 'source of high pressure Vtfluid ycom'rnunicating'withthe inlet port, 1a low-pressure chamber'provided` with an outlet port, the `valve body 'including fa pressure housing, first means in the body for :communicating '-.the .pressure vhousing ywith .the low :pressureichamber :including :a first valveseaL a `movable wall fintthe :housing .with atfirst :space ,between one sidcfofthe wall and the valve :seat yand a second space on the other side of 'thewalL ,secondmeans in thebody for commuicating. the rrst `.space ,with the high pressure .chamkber,'a secondf'valve seat ibetween the firstginlet -port vand "the .isecond'efcommuiiicating,.means, third means i-n the vbody for.;communicating;the low Vpressure chamber with the highfpressurefchambena third valve vscat between the :third communicating .means -and the outlet port and `a :fourth ivalve seatrbetween the third `communicating means and vthe inlet port; `.an auxiliary inletoutlet port com- -'munica ting with-the second communicating ymeans fand an lauxiliary yiriletfoutlet `port communicating with ,the third communicating means, a first double .acting valve assembly for 'making seating and unseating engagement "with the tinstiand thindva-lve .seats, a'second valve as- :ingM/.ith thedow pressure chamber andthe high pressure chamber, the movable wall Abeing ,movable in response .to pressure differentials in the two spaces, one ,of the Avalve assemblies being movable between seating. and yun- .eeating positions :respecting its valve seats in response tomovementfof thetmovable wa1l,.and a dual directional vrthe chamberwhaving the ...one .valve assembly, the check -V.al.ve '.assemblybeing operable Vupon movement ofthe .one .valve assembly between positions blocking and unblocking the second and third communicating means, the fotherlvalve-assembly being operable to seat against one of .its .valve seats in response'to pressure differentials crea'tedby the check valve;

2. The valve of claim 1: the check valve arrangement being in the path of fluid flow through both the first and the third valve seats and operable to alternately block one while unblocking the other and vice versa, the check valve means when in unblocking position relative to one of the seats being close enough to that valve seat to cause a pressure drop in fluid passing through that seat, and the said other valve assembly being responsive to the blocking by the check valve means of one seat for closing the passage means between the other seat and the inlet and opening the passage means between that other seat and the outlet. 3. The combination of claim 1 whereinthe dual directional check valve arrangement comprises a pair of axially separated discs adapted to partition the outlet chamber, and a compression spring interposed between said discs.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the doubleacting valve assembly actuated by the pressure responsive means comprises a valve rod having axially spaced valvev heads thereon, the dual directional check valve being slidably mounted on said valve rod intermediate said valve heads.

5. A fluid flow system having four-way reverse cycle valve means comprising, in combination, means defining a main inlet chamber and a main outlet chamber,'a fluid source, means for communicating the fluid source with the main inlet chamber, means for providing fluid communication between the two chambers, a first two-way ,valve means associated with said main inlet chamber for directing a Huid flow therefrom in a selected direction, a second two-way valve means associated with said main Y outlet chamber for directing a fluid flow'thereinto from a selected direction, said first two-way valve means comvprising a movable member engaged on opposite ides by yieldable spring means, differential pressure responsive means for operating said second two-way valve means, means including diverting valve means for communicating a selected one of said main inlet and main outlet chambers with one side of said differential pressure responsive means, and means communicating with the other side of said differential pressure responsive means including a oating dual directional check valve assembly responsive to change of flow in the main outlet chamber for establishing a different pressure on the other side of said differential pressure responsive means.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the second two-way valve means includes axially spaced openings in the main outlet chamber, said openings being provided with valve seats, and a valve rod extending through said openings, said valve rod rigidly mounting a valve head for each of said openings, and wherein the floating dual directional check valve assembly comprises axially spaced valve discs slidably mounted on said valve rod intermediate said openings, and a compression spring interposed between said valve discs so as to bias each toward closing relation with a respective one of said openings.

7'. The combination of claim 6 wherein the valve heads are disposed outside the main outlet chamber and the dual directional check valve assembly is disposed inside the main outlet chamber.

8. A reverse cycle valve comprising, in combination, a four-way valve having a high pressure chamberA provided with an inlet, a high pressure fluid source connected to the inlet, a low pressure chamber provided with an outlet, and a pair of auxiliary inlet-outlet ports. means connecting said auxiliary inlet and outlet ports between said high pressure and low pressure chambers, movable means associated with said chambers for directing ow from the high pressure chamber to the low pressure chamber by way of said auxiliary ports, means including piston means for actuating said four-way valve so as to reverse the direction of flow through the auxiliary ports, a diverter valve for communicating one side of said piston said low pressure chamber. and dual directional check vvalve means movably disposed in Vsaid low pressure chamber for establishing a pressure differential across said piston means.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein the low pressure chamber has opposite cnd openings for communi- Y cation with respective auxiliary ports, and wherein the dual directional check valve means comprises a pair of valve discs, and resilient means biasing said discs toward closure of said end openings.

10, A fluid flow system having a four-way reverse cycle valve comprising, in combination, a main valve body defining two barrels, means intercommunicating said barrels at spaced points in the longitudinal extent of the barrels, a pair of valve seats disposed in each of said `barrels within corresponding portions of the barrels between adiacent intercommunicating means, movable valve means disposed in each of said barrels for selective alternate seating engagement, respectively, with the correspondingly disposed valve seats aforesaid, at least one of said valve means including a resiliently floated valve member, means defining a main inlet chamber in one barrel and a main outlet chamber in the other, said chambers each comprising that portion of its barrel which extends between the pair of seats therein, an individual external conduit connected to each of said chambers, means defining at least two combination ports, one of said ports serving to communicate both of said barrels at corresponding points in one direction beyond the chambers with a third external conduit, the other of said combination ports serving to communicate both of said barrels at corresponding points in the other direction beyond the chambers with a fourth external conduit, pressure responsive means including piston means connected to one only of said movable valve means for displacing the latter relative to its valve seats, means for selectively communicating the piston means alternately with said chambers, and a dynamic pressure lo-ss device in the main outlet chamber for providing a pressure difference at opposite ends of said piston means.

l1. The combination of claim l0 wherein the valve seats associated with the main outlet chamber are in axial alignment and face away from each other, wherein the movable valve means associated with the main outlet chamber includes a pair of closure elements disposed outside the mainoutlet chamber, one on each side of the pair of valve seats associated with the main outlet chamber, and wherein the dynamic pressure loss device comprises a pair of check valve flanges, each adapted to close one of the two valve openings in the main outlet chamber.

12. The combination of claim ll wherein the check valve flanges are resiliently biased away from each other toward closure of both of the valve openings in the main outlet chamber.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

